The forest is being cut and burned to provide three boats a day full of charcoal for the nearby city of Jinja.
There are also unofficial small boat services from Kiyindi, a major fishing village on the shores of Lake Victoria.
The area is very poor compared to other parts of Uganda because funds allocated to it are often diverted before they reach the island.
[citation needed] The waters around the islands are rich in fish, and the local Bavuma and Basoga are fishermen.
[citation needed] The longest running missionary project is Youth With A Mission (YWAM) on Lingira Island.
[citation needed] On the main island of Buvuma, the World Gospel Mission does some limited child immunization, clean water projects, trains traditional birth attendants, and sponsors a primary school.
Buvuma district is a unique place with dense tropical forests with a range of insects, birds, animals, plant species, alongside sandy beaches at various Islands.
Rusinga is rich in fossils, and Mary Leakey found the skull of Proconsul africanus on the island.